BJP bribe scandal: Action to take time

A day after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members allegedly distributed money to mediapersons in Satna (Madhya Pradesh) to cover LK Advani’s anti-corruption and good governance campaign comprehensively, senior party members indicated action against those responsible would take time, as all leaders were busy preparing for the rath yatra.

Senior BJP and RSS members travelling with Advani said the latter was annoyed with the developments and had taken up the issue with Ananth Kumar, the party’s MP incharge and convener of his yatra.

BJP leaders have also spoken to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan and state party president, Prabhat Jha, to initiate an inquiry and submit a report to Kumar in 4-5 days.

“Our focus is to continue with the yatra. We can’t allow these things to defocus us from the issues of corruption at the Centre. Since all senior BJP leaders in Madhya Pradesh are busy with the yatra, any action is possible only after 4-5 days. We have started an inquiry but it will take some time. The state unit members will be given a chance to clarify their stand before a final decision is taken,” said a senior BJP leader travelling with Advani.

The leader said Advani was on his way to Chindwara and will hold a rally in Bhopal tomorrow before leaving MP on Sunday evening.

“The process to find out details of this incident would only start on Monday, as we are busy with the yatra till Sunday evening,” added the leader.

The problem started when envelopes containing Rs 1,000 in denomination of Rs 500 were distributed to local journalists in Satna, in a press conference called by BJP MP Ganesh Singh. Madhya Pradesh PWD minister Nagendra Singh was also present at the briefing.

Meanwhile, the ruling Congress at the Centre alleged that Advani’s yatra was not against corruption, but was glorifying it. “LK Advani’s rath yatra is not against corruption, it is glorifying corruption. Bangaru Laxman had shown how to take money, and now, at Satna, BJP is showing how to give money. Earlier, Dilip Singh Judeo had shown incoming money, now BJP is showing outgoing. It is, in fact, glorifying corruption,” said Congress spokesperson B K Hariprasad.